Jet-operated rotary lifting device



Oct. 5, 1954 B. J. KERRY JET-OPERATED ROTARY LIFTING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 17. 1950 INVENTOR. Y 25j?? JT@ @an/WZ Oct. 5, 1954 B. J. KERRY 2,690,809

JET-OPERATED ROTARY LIFTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 17, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 B. J. KERRY JET-OPERATED ROTARY LIFTING DEVICE Oct. 5, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 17, 195o IN1/Emma 7U/ V@ Oct. 5, 1954 B. J. KERRY OPERATED ROTARY LIFTING DEVICE JET- Filed Aug.' 17. 195o 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 :inventor ,irai/1294i @Cirio 5, 95@ Q J KERRY JET-OPERATED ROTARY LIFTING DEVICE Filed Aug.V 17. 195o 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Zmventor j/rofj T73/ (Ittornegs Patented Oct. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JET-OPERATED ROTARY LIFTING DEVICE Byron J. Kerry, Dearborn, Mich.

Application August 17, 1950, Serial No. 180,013

(Cl. Nfl-135.4)

11 Claims. l.

This invention relates to aircraft and in particular to aircraft operated by jet-propulsion.

One object of this invention is to provide a jet-operated rotary lifting device for aerial navigation wherein the lifting power is provided by the products of combustion of hydrocarbon fuel ejected from the device in a rotary path with an upward component from each jet.

Another object is to provide a jet-operated rotary lifting device as set forth in the preceding object wherein the device is provided with hollow radial blades through which the fuel conduits pass and which also provide an additional lifting effect by the tangentially acting jets at the outer ends of the blades.

Another object is to provide a jet-operated rotary lifting device as set forth in the preceding objects wherein the fuel is ignited in a chamber within a central casing and passes through the hollow blades to the exhaust ports where the jet reaction occurs, the latter being supplemented by the reaction effect obtained from additional fuel piped to the discharge ports of the rotor at the tips of the blades.

Another object is to provide a jet-operated rotary lifting device, as set forth in the preceding objects wherein the fuel is forced outward to the ends of the blades by scoop tubes operating in a central fuel chamber and acting under the innuence of the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the device.

Another object is to provide a jet-operated rotary lifting device, as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein air is supplied to a combustion chamber by means of spiral vanes terminating in external scoops.

Another object is to provide a jet-operated rotary lifting device, as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein the combustible mixture of hydrocarbon fuel and air is brought together and ignited by a wick located in a flue passing through the center of a fuel tank, thereby also heating the fuel tank and generating pressure therein which enhances the action of the fuel scoop tubes operating in the fuel tank.

Another object is to provide a jet-operated rotary lifting device, as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein the flue containing the wick opens into a pressure domeinto which a portion of the fuel is sprayed across the top of the flue and ignited by the flame rising from the wick.

Another object is to provide a jet-operated rotary lifting device, as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein the rotor assembly including the central casing is provided with means foi` tilting the assembly relatively to the support on which it is mounted, in directions at right angles to one another.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a jet-operated rotary lifting device, according to a preferred form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the lifting device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged central vertical section through the central casing of the device, taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the rotor assembly tilting mechanism taken along the line 4 4 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged partially horizontal and partially inclined section through a portion of the periphery of the rotor taken along the line 5-5 in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a horizontal section through the central casing showing the upper fuel tank and ue taken along the line 6-6 in Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a horizontal section through the central casing showing the air chamber, air scoops and vanes and the wick tube, taken along the line 1-1 in Figure 3 Figure 8 is a vertical section through one of the hollow rotor blades, taken along the line 8-8 in Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a vertical section through the outlet in the end of one of the jet discharge tubes taken along the line 9-9 in Figure 2;

Figure 10 is a vertical section similar to Figure 8 but taken along the line lll-I0 in Figure 1 nearer the central casing;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken along the line II-II in Figure 3 immediately above the outlet of the central flue;

Figure 12 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through a modified jet-operated rotary lifting device, corresponding to the central portion of Figure 3;

Figure 13 is an enlarged partially horizontal and partially inclined section through a portion of the periphery of a modified rotor, corresponding in position to Figure 5;

Figure 14 is a vertical section through the outlet in the end of one of the jet discharge tubes of a modification of the invention, corresponding in position to Figure 9;

Figure 15 is a top plan view partly in horizontal section through the structure shown in Figure 14; and

Figure 16 is a diagrammatic view partly in vertical section of the fuel supply system used in the jet-operated rotary lifting device of the present invention.

3 General arrangement Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures l and 3 inclusive show a jet-operated rotary lifting device according to a preferred form of the invention as consisting generally of a support I5, a central casing or power generating unit II rotatably mounted thereon, and a rotor assembly I2 mounted on the power generating unit II. The rotor assembly I2 in turn consists of a plurality of impellers, generally designated i3. Four such impellers I3 are shown, but a greater or lesser number may obviously be employed instead of the four shown. Each impeller I3 consists of a hollow radial blade portion III of air foil cross section and screw arrangement having an arcuate circumferential jet discharge portion or tube I5 extending rearwardly from the tip thereof.

Power generating umt and support The support lll (Figure 3) is shown only in its upper portion and consists of a tubular member I6 rotatably mounted in a member i1 forming part of the fuselage of an aircraft or of a frame for carrying an operator, free rotation being accomplished by means of an anti-friction ball bearing unit I8 mounted in a recess I9 formed by a flange on the member i1, the tubular member I6 having a flange 2l engaging the anti-friction bearing I8 after passing through a bore 22 in the member I1. The tubular member I6 terminates at its upper end in a hollow spherical portion 23 seated in a correspondingly spherical socket 24 in a portion 25 extending downwardly from the bottom of an egg-shaped central casing 26 which houses the power generating unit Ii. The lower end of the portion is internally threaded and stepped as at 21 to receive the correspondingly threaded and stepped upper edge 23 of a spherically curved retaining ring 29 screwed therein.

Mounted on the member I1 in locations spaced 90 circumferentially from one another are two angle brackets 38 (one only being shown in Figure 3) carrying pivot pins 3l on which the lower ends of two fluid pressure cylinders 32 are pivotally mounted. The cylinders 32' contain pistons 33, the upper ends of which carry clevises 34 connected by the pivot bolt 35 (Figure 4) to the brackets 36'. and extend outward from the outer race 31 of an anti-friction bearing 36, the inner race of which is formed by the retaining ring 29. Connected to the outer ends of the cylinders 32 are pressure fluid supply conduits 39 and 40, preferably flexible, which lead to conventional control valves and a source of pressure fluid (Figure 16) such as a pump and a tank of fluid 43.

Leading upward from a hydrocarbon fuel tank (described below in connection with Figure 16) through the tubular portion I6 is a fuel supply conduit 44 which is connected through a ball connection 42 near its upper end to a conduit 43. The conduit 43 in turn is connected to a lower tank 45 in the lower end of the central casing 26. Above the tank 45 is a flanged partition 46 welded or otherwise firmly and tightly secured to the inner wall of the casing 26. The partition 46 (Figure 3) is provided with a port 41 from which a pipe 48 containing a check valve 49 leads upward to a port 50 in an approximately bell or trumpet-shaped flue 5I having an annular integral side wall 52 closed at the top by a flanged partition 53 welded or otherwise secured thereto and containing a central flanged opening 54 The brackets 36 are mounted on (Figure 5).

through which passes the top of the flue 5I and is tightly secured thereto. The flue 5I, its side wall 52 and the partition 53 together form an upper fuel tank 55 to which liquid hydrocarbon fuel is supplied from the lower tank 45 by Way of the pipe 48 and check valve 49, the latter preventing return ilow of fluid. The side walls 52 of the tank 55 are pierced by annular internally threaded collars or bosses 56 in which are threaded closure plugs 51, thereby giving access to the interior of the tank 55.

The partition 46 and flue 5I define an air chamber 58 (Figure 3) having ports 59 through the side walls thereof (Figures 3 and 7) and air scoops 69 communicating therewith and extending partially around the lower portion of the central casing 26, these terminating at their outer ends in outer ports 6I. Extending upward in a spiral path toward the flue 5I are spiral vanes 62, the inner edges of which are joined to a vertical air tube 63 having air ports 64 disposed vertically therein. The lower end of the air tube 63 is flanged as at 55 and is superimposed upon the flanged portion 56 of a wick tube 61, having spaced vertical ports 63 therein (Figures 3 and 7). The flanged portions 65 and 66 are supported by the partition 46 and the latter has a central hole 69 through which passes a wick 16 extending from the lower portion of the lower tank 45 up through the wick tube 61. Its upper end terminates within the ue 5I adjacent an igniter 1i, such as a spark plug, mounted on and grounded to an upward extension 12 of the air tube 63. From the central terminal of the igniter 1I a-n electrical conducior 13 extends downward through a tube 14 into the support I and thence to a conventional source of high tension electricity such as a spark coil (not shown). The tubes 48 and 14 pass downward through holes in the spiral vvanes 62 and the tube 14 likewise passes through holes 15 and 16 in the partition 46 and central casing 26 respectively. The flue 5| and air tube 63 are interconnected by radial members 11 (Figure 6).

Mounted spirally within the upper fuel tank 55 with their lower ends arranged circumferentially as scoop tubes in the lower-most part thereof (Figures 3 and 6) are main and secondary fuel pipes 18 and 19 respectively. The upper portions of the tubes 18 and 19 pass upward through ports 3Q and BI respectively in the partition 53 (Figure 3) into the pressure dome 82 forming the upper portion of the egg-shaped central casing 26. The secondary fuel pipes 19 immediately above the upper end of the flue 5I are provided with inwardly facing fuel outlet holes 83 (Figures 3 and l1) from which small jets of fuel spurt across the upper end of the flue 5I in the direction of the arrows, these being ignited by the flames coming up through the ue 5I from the upper end of the lighted wick 10.

Rotor assembly The fuel pipes 16 and 19 continue through the interior of the pressure dome 82 and through converging inner ducts 84 (Figures 5, 8 and 10) located within the hollow blade portions I4 of the impellers I3. The blade portions I4 along their leading edges are provided with multiple air ports B5 (Figures l and 5) The outer end of each inner duct 84 is of reduced diameter and is bent tangentially as at 86 where it opens into the jet discharge tube I5 'lhe secondary fuel tube 19 prior to its arrival at the curved end portion 86 of the 5 inner duct 84 is provided with a short branch tube 81 having orifices 83. The bent end portion 86 of the inner duct 84 is provided with a hole 89 (Figure 5) through which the main fuel pipe 18 passes and discharges into a nozzle ring 90 having jet spray orifices 9I arranged around the annular intake port 92 of the jet discharge tube I5 of the impeller I3.

The secondary fuel pipe 19 after passing through the bent end portion 86 of the inner duct 84 (Figure 5) passes through a hole 93 in the wall of the jet discharge portion I5 and emerges into the atmosphere for a short distance (Figure 8) thereafter passing through a hole 94 (Figure 9) adjacent the outlet end 95 of the jet discharge tube I5 of the impeller I3 immediately ahead of the impeller I3 from which it emerged. Beyond the hole 94, the tube 19 ends within one of the supporting arms 96 (Figure 9) of a dynamic pressure head 91 of hollow teardrop shape. The arm 96 in which the end of the secondary fuel tube 19 is seated has a transverse bore 98 leading into the interior of the dynamic pressurehead 91, and also a longitudinal or axial bore 99 leading therefrom toward the outlet end 95 of the jet discharge portion I5 of the impeller I3. The remaining arms 96 are also provided with transverse bores 98 leading from the interior of the dynamic pressure head 91 to a similar longitudinal bore 99 directed toward the outlet end 95 (Figure 9).

The jet discharge tubes I5 at their outlets 95 are inclined downward at an angle of approximately 9 (Figure 9) so as to give a lifting thrust as they rotate. The blade portions I4 are also inclined (Figures 3 and 8) so that their rotation as driven by the jet discharge tubes I5 generates a lifting thrust. The blade portions I4 also have ports at their inner ends opening into the pressure dome 82.

Operation Prior to operation, the various tanks 45 and 55 are filled with any volatile, combustible and rapidly expanding fuel, such as a hydrocarbon fuel. The fuel reaches the tank 55 from the tank 45 by way of the pipe 48 and check valve 49 (Figure 3). The wick 10 becomes saturated with the fuel and draws it upward by capillary attraction. When the fuel reaches the top of the wick 19, it vaporizes and fills the adjacent space in the flue I and rises into the pressure dome 82. The igniter 'II is then energized by energizing the conductor 13 with high tension electricity, causing a spark to jump across the electrodes thereof.

This results in an explosion of the vapors within the ue 5I, the exploding gases passing upward through the ue 5I and dome 82 into the inner ducts 84 within the blade portions I4, the gases passing outward through the jet discharge tube I5 and out the outlets 95 thereof, causing the rotor assembly I2 (Figure 1) to rotate in a clockwise direction by the reaction forces thus generated. As the central casing or power generating unit II rotates, the air scoop 6I and spiral vanes 62 force air upward into the flue 5I adjacent the wick 10, replacing the oxygen which has been burned during the initial explosion. Meanwhile, the heat generated within the flue 5I heats the fuel in the upper tank 55, vaporizing it partially and raising the pressure in the tank 55. The wick 10 continues to burn the fuel coming up through it by capillary attraction and the rotation of the power generating unit II causes the fuel tubes 18 and 19 to scoop up fuel and force it upward and out through the blade portions I4 into the jet discharge tubes I5. Meanwhile, a portion of the air scooped up by the air scoop 6I and forced upward by the vanes 62 passes through the holes 64 in the air tube 63 surrounding the wick tube 61, mixing with a portion of the fuel escaping through the wick tube holes 68. Additional air for combustion is forced into the hollow blade portions I4 through the ports (Figures 1 and 5) in the leading edges thereof.

The flue 5I because of its bell shape, acts as a venturi tube and the flame from the wick 10 ignites a portion of the fuel forced out through the holes 83 in the secondary fuel pipe 19 in the direction of the arrows (Figure 11) across the mouth of the flue 5 I The gas thus ignited burns with a Violent force and adds to the burning and exploding gases being ejected through the vinner ducts 84 and out through the curved ends 86 thereof. A portion of the fuel is also sprayed out through the openings 88 in the branch tubes 81 (Figure 5) further boosting the impetus given by the reactive force already generated.

The reactive force is still further amplified by the burning of the spray of fuel from the jet openings 9I in the nozzle ring 99 mixing with air entering through the intake opening 92 of the jet discharge tubes I5 (Figure 5). These are of course ignited by the burning gases previously ignited. The burning gases continue to expand as they pass through the arcuate jet discharge tubes I5 and are given a final boost by the spray jet of fuel discharged from the jet openings 99 (Figure 9) in the dynamic pressure-heads 91, as supplied thereto by the secondary fuel pipes 19. The vaporization of the fuel in the pipes 18 and 19 is further enhanced by the heating of these pipes by the burning gases passing outward through the inner ducts 84 within the blade portions I4.

Meanwhile, in order to control the direction of iiight, the operator supplies pressure fiuid either to the cylinder 32 or 33 and pistons 35 thereof, rocking the rotating assembly upon the support I0 by means of the ball and socket joint therebetween. This action tilts the plane of the rotor assembly I2 in any desired direction, employing either of the cylinders 32 or 33 singly or with joint action thereof.

'Ihe machine is controlled by controlling the supply of fuel fed to the lower chamber or tank 45 through the pipe 44, by any suitable conventional valve (not shown) The foregoing action as described above causes the device to rotate with increased velocity according to the amount of fuel supplied to it.

Modified rotary lifting device The modified jet-operated rotary lifting device, generally designated IIO', shown in Figures 12 to 16 inclusive, closely resembles the device shown in Figures 1 to 11 inclusive and in many respects the construction is identical. Elements or portions of the rotary lifting device I I0 which are identical or substantially identical with elements or portions of the rotary lifting device I0 are designated with the same reference numerals.

The central casing or power-generating unit I II (Figure 12) is very similar to the central casing or power-generating unit II and differs only in the following respects. The central casing 26 which houses the power-generating unit III has an extension II2 of roughly bowl-shaped form into which the lower end of the fuel pipe 43 is threaded. A ball check valve II3 containing a ball |114 in a cage |15 prevents backward flow of the fuel from the chamber 45 within the extension I I2.

In place of the fuel feeding wick 10, the power generating unit Hi'. employsV a prima-ry jet' or nozzle I6 which is threaded into a threaded' bore |.|1 in a anged tubular valve casing: |.8 which is secured to the underside of the partition` 46 irnmediately below the hole 6,9 through which the wick formerly passed. A cup-shaped screen- H29 protects the orifice of the primary jet or nozzle H6 from being closed by foreign matter inthe fuel,. and extendsv downwardly into a chamber formed by a bore |21 from which a smaller bore |=22 extends downwardly'to: a valve bore |23. The casing H6 is. provided with vertically-spaced side wall ports |24 and |25: respectively opening into the upper and lower ends of the valve bore |23. Passageways |26 extend obliquely upward from the valve bore |23 from the level of the port and open into elbows |21 connected'. to the bosses |28 in which the passageways |26 are located. Each elbow |21 contains a passageway |29 forming a continuation. of the passageway |26 and closed by a ball check valve |30 pressed downwardly against the valve seat I3 by a compression spring |32 located in a counterbore |33. From the counterbore |33 a*v bent passageway |34 extends upwardly to a junction with the pipe 49 which in this case extends downwardly through the hole 41. Thel ball check valve 49. of Figure 3 is omitted in Figure 12. being replaced by the ball check valve |30. Furthermore, two pipes 46 are employed in the power generating urnt in place of the single pipe in the power generating unit |I.

In order to control the fuel passing upward through the pipes 48, a valve plunger or valve member |35 is reciprocably mounted in the valve bore |23 and is in the form of a rod or cylinder having an annular valve groove |36 at approximately its` mid-portion. The groove |36 is' so lo cated relatively to the top end |31 of the valve plunger |35 that when the valve plunger |35v moves downward, the groove L36 rst establishes communication between the ports |25 andthe passageways |26 before the port |24 is uncovered by the top |31 of the valve plunger |35.

The valve plunger |35 is. connected at its` lower end to a so-called Sylphon bellows or sealed resilient-bellows |38, the lower end of which is anchored to a U-shaped bracket |39 by a bolt |40 threaded through the bracket |39 and intov the lower end of the bellows |38. The bracket |739 is secured to the underside of the partition 46.

In the power-generating unit the spark plug 1| is shielded from possible short-circuiting by being enclosed in an elbow-shapedA casing |4| (Figure 12) which is secured at its upper end to the extension 12 and at its lower end is seated in a tubular connection or socket |42.

lIhe fuel supply and control system, generally designated |45, for the modied rotary lifting device I0 (Figure 16) is mounted inthe fuselage including the member |1 (Figure 3) and includes an air compressor |46 driven by a motor |41 on abase |43 and having air intake and discharge lines |49 and |50 respectively, the latter containing a cornbination pressure-responsivev switch and control valve |5|, the normally-closed switch |52 of which is in circuit with the motor |41 and controls the energization thereof through the lines |53 and |54, the line |55 running directly to the motor |41. The discharge pipe controlled by the valve |5| discharges into a compressed air storagetank |56 from` which. a line |51 runsto thel top of afuel tank |53 above the level of the liquid therein. An electro-magnetic valve |59 operated by asolenoid |60. energized from the lines |6| and |62A controls the pressure in the main fuel tank |58. |The latter has an air-tight lling spout |63 and also an air pressure pipe |64 connected to the actuating motor |65 of a normally-open pressureresponsive. switch |66. which closes the circuit between the lines |61 and |58 in response to a predetermined rise in pressure in the topl of the fuel tank |256. The fuel supply pipe 44 in both formsV of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 12 extends downward into the tank |58. The lines |68 and an additional low tension line |69 supply low tension. current to the primary of a spark coil |10 from the secondary terminals of which a line |1| runs to a ground connection |12 on theA power generating unit or The high tension line 13 is connected to the other secondary terminal of the spark coil |10. and, as previously explained, extendsl upward through the tube 14 to the spark plug 1 The modified rotor assembly |13 of the modi-- fied rotary lifting device ||0 (Figure 13) differs slightly from the rotor assembly I2 (Figure 5) in several respects. The branch tube 8-1 with its spray orifices 83 is omitted and the secondary fuel tube 19 proceeds uninterruptedly into the arcuate jet discharge tube I5. The main fuel pipe 18, on the other hand, is bent as at |14I after passing through a hole |15 in the side wall of an annular air intake port |16 which extendsV farther into the tube I5 than its counterpart 92 in Figure 5. Mounted on the inner end of the tube 18 beyond the bend |14 is a fuel spray nozzle |11 which discharges fuel tangentially or circumferentially into the tube I5 and replaces the nozzle ring 9G with its spray orifices 9| of Figure 5. The remainder of the construction of Figure 13 is similar to that of Figure 5.

The jet discharge tube construction shown in Figures 14 and 15 also differs from that shown in Figure 9v in that the modified dynamic pressure head |91- is automatically controlled by a centrifugally responsive valve |98, whereas the dynamic pressure head 91 of Figure 9 is not so controlled. The secondary fuel pipe 19 is connected toa socket |99 in the supporting arms 200 of the dynamic pressure head |91 (Figure 15) and from the socket |99 a passageway 20| leads to a valve bore 202 from which an. L-shaped passageway 203 leads through the supporting body 204 of the dynamic pressure head |91 into a chamber 205 formed within a hollow pointed tapered casing membel 206 which is threaded as at 201 ontov a. boss 29S projecting axially along the tube l5 from the body 204. The body 204 is bulbous-shaped and with the casing portion 206 forms a tear drop-shaped assembly similar in shape to the dynamic pressure head 91 of Figure 9 and similarly supported by the armsA 260 of streamlined or airfoil cross-section (Figure 15). From the chamber 205' approximately U-shaped passageways 299 (Figure 14) lead to outlets or jet orifices 2|0 corresponding to the orices 99 of Figure 9.

Reciprocably mounted in the valve bore 202 is a valve plunger 2| |y (Figure 14) having an annular cutaway portion 2|2 adapted to be brought into. communication with the ends of the passageways 2 0 l. and 203 where they join the valve bore 202. The valve plunger 2|| is urged outward or to the right in Figures 14 and 15 by a compres.- sion spring 2 3 disposed between the boss 208 and 9 the head 2| 4 on the external end of the valve plunger 2| I.

The opening and closing of the valve plunger 2|| relatively to the passageways 20| and 203 is controlled by a fiyball lever 2I5 which is pivoted as at 2|6 (Figures 14 and 15) upon arms or ears 2| 1 which extend axially along the interior of the tube I5. The flyball lever 2I5 is provided at one end with a flyweight or yball 2 I8 and at its opposite end with an arm 2I9 drilled as at 220 to receive an eye-bolt 22|. Secured to one end of the eye-bolt 22| is a tension spring 222, the opposite end of which is secured to a drilled ear or boss 223 projecting axially from the boss 208. The flyball lever 2|5 is provided with a cam portion 224 engageable with the head 2| 4 of the valve plunger 2| I.

Operation of the modified rotary lifting device 'Ihe operation of the nicdified rotary lifting device (Figures 12 to 16 inc.) in general follows the operation of the rotary lifting device I0 as previously described above except for changes in operation brought about by the changes in construction just described. The action of the fuel supply system |45 of Figure 16 is nearly the same for both forms of the invention, as this system 45 is preferably used for both forms of the invention.

In the operation of the modified rotary lifting device ||0, the motor |41 (Figure 16) energized from a storage battery, drives the air compressor |46 and causes it to pump air through the pipe |50 and pressure-'responsive valve and switch |5| into the air tank |56. When a predetermined pressure is reached in the tank I 56, this pressure closes the valve `II and also opens the normally closed switch |52, de-energizing the motor.|41 and causing the compressor |46 to cease operation. Air pressure is thus locked in the tank |56 between the valves |5| and |59.

To start the rotary lifting device I0 or ||0 (Figure 16), the valve |59 is opened by energizing the lines |6| and |62 to cause the solenoid |60 to Operate the valve |59, whereupon compressed air is admitted through the pipe |51 to the space above the liquid level in the main fuel tank |58, forcing the liquid fuel upward in the tube 44 through the check yalve ||4 into the first stage tank 45 where it builds up pressure and gradually compresses the bellows |36. The latter, when so compressed, pulls the valve member downward until the annular groove |35 is aligned with the ports or passageways |25 and |26, permitting the liquid fuel to pass from the chamber upward through the pipes 48 into the upper or second stage tank 55. The upper tank 55 is filled in this manner until a back pressure is built up suicient to further compress the bellows |36, pulling the top |31 of the valve member |35 below the upper side wall port |24 (Figure 12). This permits fuel to pass through the port I 24, the upper end of the valve bore |23, the passageways |22 and |2I, through the strainer IIS, into the orifice |29 of the spray nozzle ||6, causing a spray of fuel upwardly from the nozzle IIS- At the same time, the same buildup of back pressure also operates the actuating motor |65 'of the normally open pressure-responsive switch |96 to close the switch |66 and energize the spark coil |16. A spark then jumps across the electrode-s of the spark plug 1| by reason of the high tension current passing through the secondary leads 13 and |1| from the spark coil |10, igniting the fuel spray which has emerged from the nozzle I6 and has traveled upwardly in the vertical air tube 63. The ignition of the fuel in this manner causes the burnt gases and other products of combustion to be expelled rapidly through the converging inner ducts 84 into the jet discharge tubes I5 (Figure 1'3) in the direction of the arrows, causing the rotor assembly I2 or |13 to rotate, in the manner previously described. At the same time, additional fuel is sprayed through the nozzles |11 (Figure 13) into the jet discharge tubes l5, increasing the speed of rotation in the manner previously described. Air entering the annular air intake port |16 mixes with the spray of fuel from each nozzle |11 to form a combustible mixture.

The action of the modified dynamic pressure heads |91 is somewhat different from that of the dynamic pressure heads 91 described in connection with Figure 9 in that the outlet of the dynamic pressure heads |91 is automatically and centrifugally controlled. When the burning gases from the ducts 84 and nozzles |11 have almost reached their maximum expansion and velocity, the consequent rotation of the rotor assembly |13 and its discharge tubes |5 creates centrifugal force which causes the ilyweights 2|8 on the yball levers 2|5 (Figure 14) to move toward the centerline of the tube I5, causing the cam portion 224 thereof to shift the valve plunger 2| I inward or to the left in Figure 14, bringing the annularly grooved portion 2|2 thereof opposite the ends of the passageways 20| and 203 so as to place them in communication. rlhe hot high pressure fuel entering through the pipe 19 to each dynamic pressure head |91 is thus caused to ow into the chamber 205 (Figures 14 and l5) and thence through the passageways 209 and outlets 2|0 into the interior of the jet discharge tubes i5 into the path of the burning gases. This provides an additional thrust and consequently increased rotational velocity to the rotor assembly |13. The rotational velocity and the control of the centrifugally responsive valve |99 in each dynamic pressure head is thus maintained by increasing or decreasing the pressure in lthe rst and second stage tanks 45 and 55 (Figures l2 and 16) in the above-described manner so as to control the amount of liquid fuel ejected from the respective burner nozzles or jet openings.

What I claim is:

l. A jet-operated rotary lifting device comprising a support, a rotary structure rotatably mounted on said support and including a plurality of radially disposed lifting blades, a plurality of circumferentially disposed jet-discharge tubes connected respectively to said lifting blades, an internal combustion gas generator connected to said rotary structure, means for supplying fuel to said generator, and gas discharge conduits for conducting the burning gases from said generator to said jet discharge tubes, said gas generator having a combustion chamber with a fuel burner therein, an auxiliary fuel receptacle, said burner being connected to said receptacle, an igniter disposed adjacent said burner, a fuel container and a spirally disposed fuel scoop conduit having an inlet in said container and having an outlet connected to said jet discharge tubes.

2. A jet-operated rotary lifting device comprising a support, a rotary structure rotatably mounted on said support and including a plurality of radially disposed lifting blades, a plurality cf circumferentially disposed jet-discharge tubes connected respectively to said lifting blades, an internal combustion gas generator connected to said rotary structure, means for supplying fuel to said generator, gas discharge conduits for `conducting the burning gases from said generator to said jet discharge tubes, said gas generator having a combustion chamber with a fuel burner therein, an auxiliary fuel receptacle, said burner being connected to said receptacle, an 'igniter disposed adjacent Vsaid burner, a fuel container and a spirally disposed fuel scoop conduit having an inlet in said container extending through said blades and having an outlet connected to said jet discharge tubes.

3. A jet-operated rotary lifting device comprising a support, a rotary structure rotatably mounted on said support and including a plurality of radially disposed lifting blades, a plurality of circumferentially disposed jet-discharge tubes connected respectively to the trailing edges of the tips of said lifting blades and extending arcuately along the circumferential path thereof, an internal combustion gas generator connected to said rotary structure, means for supplying fuel to said generator, and means for conducting the burning gases from said Vgenerator to said jet discharge tubes, said gas generator having a combustion chamber With a fuel burner therein, and an igniter disposed adjacent said burner, and said fuel supply means including an auxiliary fuel receptacle and said burner including a wick Vextending at one end into said fuel receptacle and at its other end into said combustion chamber.

4. A jet-operated rotary lifting device comprising a support, a rotary structure rotatably mounted on said support and including a plurality of radially disposed lifting blades, a plurality of circumferentially disposed jet-discharge tubes connected respectively to the trailing edges of the tips of said lifting blades and extending arcuately along the circumferential path thereof, an internal combustion gas generator connected to said rotary structure, means for supplying Vfuel to said generator, and means for conducting the burning gases from said generator to said jet discharge tubes, said gas generator having a combustion chamber with a fuel burner therein, an auxiliary fuel receptacle, said burner being connected to said receptacle, an air scoop having an intake disposed externally of said container and having an air passageway leading to said combustion chamber from the exterior thereof, and an igniter disposed adjacent said burner.

5. A jet-operated rotary lifting device comprising a support, a rotary structure rotatably mounted on said support and including a plurality of radially disposed lifting blades, a plurality of circumferentially disposed jet-discharge tubes connected respectively to the trailing edges of the tips of said lifting blades and extending arcuately along the circumferential path thereof, an internal combustion gas generator connected to said rotary structure, means for supplying fuel to said generator, and means for conducting the burning gases from said generator to said jet discharge tubes, said gas generator having a combustion chamber with a `fuel burner therein, an air scoop leading to said combustion chamber from the exterior thereof, an auxiliary fuel receptacle, and said burner including a Wick extending at one end into said fuel receptacle and at its other end into said combustion chamber.

6. A jet-operated rotary lifting device comprising a support, a rotary structure rotatably mounted on said support and including a plurality of radially disposed lifting blades, a plurality l2 of jet-discharge tubes disposed adjacent the ends of said blades and having outlets extending therefrom in -a direction opposite to the direction fof rotation'of said blades, a casing connected to said structure, a fuel container' in said casing, an auxiliary fuel receptacle, a combustion chamber in said casing adjacent said fuel container, a fuel burner in said combustion chamber connected to said receptacle, an igniter in said combustion chamber disposed adjacent said burner, means for supplying air to said combustion chamber, means for supplying fuel to said container, gas discharge conduits connecting said combustion chamber to said jet-discharge tubes for conducting `the burning gases from said combustion chamber to said jet-discharge tubes, and a primary fuel duct leading from said fuel container to at least one of said jet discharge tubes.

'7. A jet-operated rotary lifting device comprising a support, a rotary structure rotatably mounted on said support and including a plurality `of radially disposed lifting blades, a plurality of jet-discharge tubes disposed adjacent the ends of said blades and having outlets extending therefrom in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said blades, a casing connected to said structure, a fuel container in said casing, an auxiliary fuel receptacle,a combustion chamber in said casing adjacent said fuel container, a fuel burner Vin said combustion chamber connected to said receptacle, an igniter in said combustion chamber disposed adjacent said burner, means for supplying air to said combustion chamber, means for supplying fuel to said container, gas discharge conduits connecting said combustion chamber 'to said `'jet-discharge tubes for conducting the burning gases from said combustion chamber to said jet-discharge tubes, a primary fuel duct leading Vfrom said fuel container to at least one of said jet-"discharge tubes, a primary auxiliary fuel spray nozzle on said primary fuel duct Within said jet-discharge tube and an auxiliary air supply conduit in said rotary structure having an air intake disposed in the direction of rotation of `said rotary structure and an air outlet communicating with said combustion chamber.

8. A rjet-operated rotary lifting device comprising a support, a rotary structure rotatably mounted on said support, a plurality of radially disposed lifting blades connected to said rotary structure, a plurality of jet-discharge tubes disposed adjacent the ends of said blades and having outlets extending arcuately along the circumferential path of the tips of said blades in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said blades, a casing connected to said structure, a fuel container in said casing, a combustion chamber in said casing adjacent said fuel container, an igniter in said combustion chamber, means for supplying air to said combustion chamber, means for supplying fuel to said container, and gas discharge conduits connecting said combustion chamber to said jet-discharge tubes for conducting the burning gases from said combustion chamber to said jet-discharge tubes, said air supplying means including an air scoop projecting exterior-ly of said rotary structure and a spirally disposed vane leading from said air scoop to said combustion chamber.

9. A vjet-operated rotary lifting device comprising 'a support, a rotary structure rotatably mounted on said support, a plurality of radially disposed lifting blades connected to said rotary structure, a plurality of circumferentially disposed jet-discharge tubes connected respectively to the trailing edges of the tips of said lifting blades and extending 'arcuately along the circumferential path thereof, an internal combustion gas generator connected to said rotary structure, means for supplying fuel to said generator, and means for conducting the burning gases from said generator to said jet discharge tubes, said gas generator having a combustion chamber and a fuel container; said fuel supply means including an auxiliary fuel receptacle, a conduit connecting said fuel receptacle to said combustion chamber, a fuel-pressure-responsive valve in said conduit responsive to the pressure of fuel supplied to said receptacle to open and close said conduit, and a spray nozzle on said conduit arranged to spray fuel into said combustion chamber.

10. A jet-operated rotary lifting device comprising a support, a rotary structure rotatably mounted on said support, a plurality of radially disposed lifting blades connected to'said rotary structure, a plurality of jet-discharge tubes disposed adjacent the ends of said blades and having outlets extending arcuately along the circumferential path of the tips of said blades in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said blades, a casing connected to said structure, a fuel container' in said casing, a combustion chamber in said casing adjacent said fuel container, an igniter in said combustion chamber, means for supplying air to said combustion chamber, means for supplying fuel to said container, gas discharge conduits connecting said combustion chamber to said jet-discharge tubes for conducting the burning gases from said combustion chamber' to said jet-discharge tubes, a secondary fuel duct leading from said fuel container to the discharge end of at least one of said jet-discharge tubes, a secondary auxiliary fuel spray nozzle on said secondary fuel duct adjacent said discharge end, and a normallyclosed centrifugally-responsive valve in said secondary fuel duct responsive to the attainment of a predetermined centrifugal force during the rotation of said rotary structure for opening communication through at least one of said secondary fuel ducts to at least one of said jet discharge tubes.

11. A jet-operated rotary lifting device comprising a support, a rotary structure rotatably mounted on said support and including a plurality of radially disposed lifting blades, a plurality of circumferentially disposed jet-discharge tubes connected respectively to the trailing edges of the tips of said lifting blades and extending arcuately along the circumferential path thereof, an internal combustion gas generator connected to said rotary structure, said gas generator having a combustion chamber with a fuel burner therein, means for supplying fuel to said burner, means for conducting the burning gases from said generator to said jet discharge tubes, and a fuel igniter disposed adjacent said burner, said fuel supplying means including, a main fuel tank, a fuel supply conduit system connecting said burner to said tank, a compressed gas source connected to said tank, and a pressure-responsive device in said conduit system responsive to the attainment of a predetermined pressure in said conduit system for initiating operation of said igniter.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 364,866 Seigneuret June 14, 1887 1,982,702 Langdon Oct. 31, 1933 2,371,687 Gerhardt Mar. 20, 1945 2,397,357 Kundig Mar. 26, 1946 2,415,584 Fleiss Feb. 11, 1947 2,446,785 Quick Aug. 10, 1948 2,465,856 Emgh Mar. 29, 1949 2,548,804 McCollum Apr. 10, 1951 2,553,253 Hays May 15, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 409,379 France Feb. 17, 1910 859,640 France June 10, 1940 865,452 France Feb. 24, 1941 931,296 France Oct. 6, 1947 

